A Matter of Life and Death
by oneperfectfit
Summary: In which someone dies, someone is born, two people get engaged to each other, Neji plays messenger and Tenten wants a baby. KakaSaku, NaruHina, NejiTen. Character death, slight angst.


**This is… odd. But I digress. Because I thought "what if Sakura killed Sasuke?" and also, "would Neji appreciate being a messenger." So. KakaSaku, NaruHina, NejiTen. And I'm sure if you wanted you could see some SasuSaku. Or NaruSakuSasu. But. Um. No. And, um, second person is cool. But does it work? You tell me. **

You walk home from the gate by yourself. Naruto was met by Neji and Tenten, with the Hyuuga telling him to head to the hospital.

"Since Hinata-chan thinks that she can use me as a messenger," he had grumbled, "we need to go to the hospital. She's giving birth, as of an hour and twenty minutes ago. Tsunade-sama's there, since there could be a risk involved but it should be alright, she says. Hinata's fine"

You had a received a "bye Sakura, I have to go my daughter is being born, I'm sorry!" before he had run hurriedly in the direction of the hospital. Neji had lazily followed, while Tenten gives you a hug and pulled Neji along to witness the birth of her almost-niece, and reminded you that fittings for the bridesmaid dress would happen soon-ish.

You walk to your house, each footfall jarring your bones and your heart. You are tired and covered in blood.

_You killed Sasuke._

Left foot.

_You killed Sasuke._

Right foot.

_You killed Sasuke._

Left foot.

_You killed Sasuke._

And worse, _you could not save Sasuke when he was completely alive. _

Minutes away from death, and you and Naruto huddled around him, he had told you not to try to save his life. And he had apologized, for that and for everything else.

Naruto had told him about Hinata, and how his baby would be born soon. They knew it would be a girl, and so they planned to name her Shizuka. If it were a boy, Naruto had say, he wanted to call it Sasuke.

You kissed Sasuke. He asked if you were with anyone, and you had said yes. He had asked who and you said they weren't telling anyone yet. And then you had whispered in his ear the name and told him to keep the secret.

When Sasuke died, you and Naruto held him.

_You killed Sasuke._

Naruto had passed out, and Sasuke couldn't move. You had done it.

_Sasuke's dead_.

Kakashi sits in your apartment, waiting for you. You fall into his arms, relieved that he's there. He knows what happened with a single glance at your face. He knows that the blood is mostly not yours.

"Come on," he murmurs. "Let me clean you up."

You let him because it shows he cares and he loves you. Which you know, but still. You appreciate signs of affection, especially now, here.

You fall asleep in his lap on the couch. Some hours later you are awakened by Neji, still being used as a messenger.

"Tenten's with the baby," he says. "Hinata and Shizuka are fine. They want you two there now."

He doesn't look at all fazed to see you and Kakashi there. But he might know about you two, because Tenten figured it out (not that you confirmed anything) and might have told her fiancée. Or maybe just because he's Neji, and you've never seen him show much emotion besides apathy towards anyone but Tenten (love) Hinata (brotherly) Lee (rivalry) and Gai (mixed).

You and Kakashi walk with Neji to the hospital. You are still tense and on edge, and your footsteps still jar and shake your core.

_You killed Sasuke._

Kakashi wraps an arm around you.

"Steady, now," he whispers, and you lean against him.

Hinata is flushed and tired but glowing and Naruto is exuberant. Tenten passes you the girl, who has blonde fuzz on her head and pale Hyuuga eyes, even now.

Tenten turns towards Neji.

"I want a baby," she says. Neji looks stoic. "Let's get through the wedding first."

Neji turns toward Hinata, who is cuddled up with Naruto. "Hiashi-sama's coming soon," he says. Hinata nods and smiles at Naruto, who has showered, because he isn't covered in blood anymore. Sasuke's death has apparently been wiped from his mind by the new life that was in front of him. In your arms, you hold this new life. Kakashi peers over your shoulder. You feel, rather than see, his smile.

"She's beautiful," you whisper, and start crying.

Later, when you are lying next to Kakashi, you cry again.

A few days after Sasuke dies and Shizuka is born, he asks you to marry him.

And you accept.

If you have a son before Naruto, you're going to name him Sasuke.

Because he was your friend. And he approved of you and Kakashi. And he should be honored.

You cry again. And Kakashi knows why. He hugs you. "We should name him Sasuke," he whispers.

_You killed Sasuke_.

Although your first child is a girl, you name your first son and second child son Sasuke Because you (and Kakashi) keep your promises.

Naruto and Hinata, however, have three daughters.


End file.
